Intermittent tri-weekly docetaxel plus bicalutamide in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer: a single-arm prospective study using a historical control for comparison.

Abstract

Whether continuous docetaxel (DTX) chemotherapy offers an advantage over intermittent therapy for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is unknown. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy, toxicity and quality of life (QoL) of intermittent tri-weekly DTX with bicalutamide in CRPC. Forty-two patients (group A) with CRPC were enrolled. The patients received intravenous DTX (75 mg m(-2)) once tri-weekly with oral bicalutamide (50 mg) once daily. Patients had a DTX holiday when the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level declined ≥50%. DTX was restarted in patients with a PSA increase ≥25%. Sixty patients (group B) who had matching characteristics and had continuously received DTX without bicalutamide for 10-12 cycles were also enrolled. There were no statistically significant differences in progression-free survival (8 months vs. 9 months, P=0.866) or overall survival (19 months vs. 21 months, P=0.753) between groups A and B; however, the proportions of patients in group A with all grades of neutropenia (33% vs. 58%, P=0.013) and nausea/vomiting (11% vs. 29%, P=0.024) were significantly less compared to group B. A significant improvement in the global health and fatigue scores was recorded for group A post-chemotherapy compared to pre-chemotherapy (P<0.05). The fatigue, nausea/vomiting and appetite loss scores in group B were increased post-chemotherapy compared to pre-chemotherapy (P<0.05). In conclusion, intermittent tri-weekly DTX plus bicalutamide is well tolerated and has the potential to achieve comparable disease control with an improvement in QoL for patients with CRPC.

• Authors: Yun-Fei Li, Shao-Feng Zhang, Tao-Tao Zhang, Lei Li, Wei Gan, Hong-Tao Jia, Sheng Xie, Hui-Hua Ji, Da-Lin He
• Journal: Asian journal of andrology (Asian J Androl) Vol. 15 Issue 6 Pg. 773-9 (Nov 2013) ISSN: 1745-7262 [Electronic] China
• PMID: 23955552 (Publication Type: Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anilides
• Nitriles
• Taxoids
• Tosyl Compounds
• Docetaxel
• bicalutamide
• Prostate-Specific Antigen

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Anilides (administration & dosage)
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (therapeutic use)
• Case-Control Studies
• Docetaxel
• Drug Administration Schedule
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Nitriles (administration & dosage)
• Orchiectomy
• Prospective Studies
• Prostate-Specific Antigen (blood)
• Prostatic Neoplasms (drug therapy, surgery)
• Survival Analysis
• Taxoids (administration & dosage)
• Tosyl Compounds (administration & dosage)